What is toxic megacolon?
Toxic megacolon is a severe dilation of the colon which occurs when inflammation spreads from the mucosa through the remaining layers of the colon. It is much more commonly a complication of UC though it can be seen occasionally in CD. The colon becomes paralyzed which can lead to it eventually bursting; this is known as a “perforation”. Such perforation is a dire medical emergency with a 30% mortality rate. Many patients with toxic megacolon require surgery. Anyone with UC or CD serious enough to be at risk for toxic megacolon should be hospitalized and closely monitored. Warning signs include abdominal pain/tenderness, abdominal distention, fever, large numbers of stools with obvious blood and a rapid (more than 100/minute) pulse rate. Fortunately, this grave complication appears to be decreasing in frequency which probably reflects more effective treatment. Use of certain drugs (opiates, opioids and/or antispasmodics) may predispose to this complication. This is one of the reasons t
